What bullet diameter is .50-90 Sharps?

.50-90 Sharps uses a 0.515″ (13.08 mm) diameter bullet.

Is .50-90 Sharps still in production?

.50-90 Sharps is discontinued; typical availability is rare.

What are the best powders for .50-90 Sharps?

Reloading powders commonly listed for .50-90 Sharps include 5744.

Rifle · Proprietary

.50-90 Sharps

.50-9050 Caliber 90 Grain Sharps.50-90 Sharps Straight

Heavy .50 caliber black powder cartridge for the Sharps single-shot; used extensively by professional buffalo hunters and is associated with the Battle of Adobe Walls in 1874..

Caliber: 0.515″ · 13.08 mm
Introduced: 1872
Case: Rimmed
Status: Discontinued

Velocity1,448–1,814 fps

Energy2,048–3,214 ft·lb · est.

Identity

Introduced: 1872
Type: Rifle
Origin: United States
Inventor: Sharps Rifle Company
Standard: Proprietary
Status: Discontinued
Availability: Rare

Build

Primer: Berdan Large Rifle
Case type: Rimmed

Pressure & range

Max pressure: 22,000 psi
Eff. range: 300 yd

Ballistics

Representative trajectory · 100 yd zero0–500 yd

Open in Ballistic Compare ↗

Parent case: —

Representative trajectory — modeled from a single velocity input (no published BC for this cartridge yet).

Dimensionscase measurements · scale drawing · size vs familiar rounds

Case dimensions — the scale drawing at the top of the page is built from these.

CIP TDCC · approximate

Measure	mm	in	✓
Bullet ⌀	13.08	0.515	~
Neck ⌀	13.49	0.531	·
Shoulder ⌀	n/a
Shoulder angle	n/a
Base ⌀	14.43	0.568	~
Rim ⌀	16.76	0.660	·
Belt ⌀	n/a
Rim thickness	1.80	0.071	~
Neck length	n/a
Case length	63.63	2.505	·
Overall length	81.28	3.200	·

Size vs familiar rounds

Drawn at true 1:1 — every case is accurate relative to the others. Absolute size depends on your screen's pixel density, so measuring one against a real ruler may be off. .50-90 Sharps is highlighted below.

Suitable powders

1 reloading powder listed for .50-90 Sharps, fastest to slowest. Cross-reference in the finder →

5744

Reloading costestimate cost per round vs factory

Estimate your cost per round and how it compares to factory. Inputs are yours — nothing is stored.

Powder $/lbCharge (gr)Bullet $/eaPrimer $/eaBrass reusesBrass $/ea

Cost estimate only — not load data. Charge weight is your input; follow published manuals for safe charges.

Firearms chambered in .50-90 Sharps

4 models in the database chamber .50-90 Sharps. Browse all →

Cimarron Firearms Billy DixonWinchester Model 1885 High Wall .45-70 30-inch Single ShotSharps Model 1874 45-70 GovernmentSharps Rifle Manufacturing Company Sharps Model 1874 Buffalo Rifle

Lineage

Immediate parent

Root — no documented parent

Direct descendants (0)

.50-140 Sharps

Family TreeOpen .50-90 Sharps in the interactive cartridge family tree↗

Connected reference

Reloading1 suitable powder — cross-reference↗FirearmsFirearms in .50-90 Sharps↗ToolCompare ballistics↗

History

The .50-90 Sharps was the go-to cartridge for professional buffalo hunters in the early 1870s. Its most famous use was at the Battle of Adobe Walls in June 1874, where buffalo hunter Billy Dixon reportedly dropped a Comanche warrior at 1,538 yards with a Sharps .50-90 — a shot still celebrated in shooting folklore.

FAQs

What bullet diameter is .50-90 Sharps?: .50-90 Sharps uses a 0.515″ (13.08 mm) diameter bullet.
Is .50-90 Sharps still in production?: .50-90 Sharps is discontinued; typical availability is rare.
What are the best powders for .50-90 Sharps?: Reloading powders commonly listed for .50-90 Sharps include 5744.

Sources & provenance

StandardC.I.P. — CIP TDCC datasheet — 50-90 Sharps 2"1/2 (Tab. II, rimmed) · bullet ⌀archived
ManufacturerBuffalo Arms Co. — 50-90 (50 2 1/2") Sharps Black Powder Ammo, 540 gr .510 in · bullet ⌀, grain weightsarchived
ReferenceDBI Books — Cartridges of the World, 8th ed. (1997) — Frank C. Barnes, p.140 · year, velocity, grain weights

Data & sources. Specs compiled from the Lindcott Armory reference; the trajectory is modeled (point-mass), not measured. See methodology. Spotted an error? Report it →